Jets beat Broncos to reach 5-2, but lose RB Breece Hall to injury
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) misses the catch against New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Denver. Credit: David Zalubowski
DENVER — The Jets lost their best offensive player and two other starters on that side of the ball, but they didn’t blink. They continue to be road warriors and are showing they can win games multiple ways.
These are the signs of a good team or at least one on the rise. The Jets certainly are ascending.
They went into Empower Field at Mile High Stadium and beat the Denver Broncos, 16-9, for their fourth consecutive victory.
The Jets (5-2) improved to 4-0 on the road for the first time since 2010. They already have surpassed their win totals from last season and the year before and are off to their best start since 2010.
“It shows that we don’t really care where we’re playing,” Zach Wilson said. “It comes down to: it’s all about us.”
The Jets lost rookie Breece Hall to a knee injury in the first half. Robert Saleh said the “initial diagnosis isn’t good,” and the fear is that Hall suffered an ACL injury. Hall scored the Jets’ only touchdown on a 62-yard run in the first quarter.
The Jets needed their defense to win this game.
Up 16-9 late, the Jets had to make two stops against the Broncos, who were without quarterback Russell Wilson (hamstring injury). The Jets got both of them.
The Broncos (2-5) drove to Jets’ 25 and had fourth-and-3 just after the two-minute warning. Denver went for it all. Brett Rypien threw it to Courtland Sutton in the end zone, but rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner broke up the pass. The Jets took over on downs.
The offense sputtered, though. The Jets ran it three times as Saleh forced Denver to use its timeouts. The Jets went three-and-out and gave Denver one last shot.
The Broncos had the ball on their 20 with 1:30 left. On third down from the Jets' 48, C.J. Mosley nearly picked off Rypien. It was called an interception on the field but after review, it was overturned. On fourth-and-10, Rypien threw another incomplete pass.
“You want to feel like everything’s riding on you to come up with the big play,” defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said. “We take pride in being able to come up with those plays. We take pride in being able to go back out there and make sure it ends with our sideline jumping up and down screaming.”
That’s exactly what happened.
The Broncos’ defense was almost as good Sunday. The Jets’ offense had seven three-and-outs. Wilson completed 16 of 26 passes for 121 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. It’s the third straight game that Wilson hasn’t thrown a TD or pick.
Greg Zuerlein connected on field goals of 45, 33 and 44 yards. He made two in the fourth quarter, which was the only scoring by either team in the second half.
“We felt really good about our defense and getting stops,” Saleh said. “We felt like if we could just keep putting up points, we'd be able to keep them out of the end zone. This was a team win and it was a gutty one, too.”
Hall has been such a big part of the Jets’ offense during this streak. It was his fourth straight game with a rushing touchdown.
He was brought down late in the second quarter and needed help off the field. He limped toward the locker room before a cart came and took him the rest of the way. room. Hall was ruled out quickly.
The Jets also lost offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (elbow) and receiver Corey Davis (knee) in the first half and showed resiliency by holding on for the win.
“There’s no quit,” Saleh said. “We don’t flinch.”
Michael Carter said, “It shows we got a little dog in us, from top to bottom”
The Jets were favored in this game after the Broncos ruled out Wilson. It was the first time this season that the Jets were favored and just the third since 2020.
Rypien, who beat the Jets in 2020 in his only other NFL start, was 24-for-46 for 225 yards and one interception.
Both teams struggled moving the ball or getting anything sustainable throughout the game. The Jets led 10-9 at halftime and after three quarters, but their defense made a huge play late in the third.
Rypien was picked off by Lamarcus Joyner, who returned it 27 yards to the Broncos’ 37. The Jets finally got in the red zone on a Braxton Berrios' 8-yard catch to start the fourth. But two plays later, Carter was stuffed on third-and-1 from the 16 and they had to settle for a Zuerlein 33-yard field goal that made it 13-9 with 12:49 to go.
On their next series, the Jets got some help on third-and-18. Wilson’s pass was nearly picked off by Justin Simmons, who had it right in his hands. It wouldn’t have mattered though because K’Waun Williams was flagged for pass interference on Berrios. It gave the Jets a first down the Broncos’ 31.
The Jets turned that into points as Zuerlein connected on a 40-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game with 4:35 remaining.
“Once we got that touchdown lead,” Saleh said, “I felt like it was over.”
It was.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
